TCEB HASTENS THE ADVANCEMENT OF KHON KAEN MICE CITY BUSINESS HUB OF GMS TO SOAR AS MAKE KHON KAEN VISION TO WITH

Khon Kaen, 28 May 2015 - Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) or TCEB, is moving fast to implement the Khon Kaen MICE City Model Scheme with 5 key strategies to advance as the hub of meetings and exhibition for which will create new business opportunities in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). Additionally, 79 million baht of budget has been allocated into 59 projects designed to boost economic and investment potential according to the 3-year development plan (2014-2016) to serve regional growth.

Mr. Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, TCEB President, disclosed in the opening ceremony of “2nd Thailand Domestic MICE Mart” held in Khon Kaen Province that TCEB has the policy to empower the advancement of MICE industry in Khon Kaen in line with the Khon Kaen MICE City Model Scheme (2014-2018) in order to promote Khon Kaen as the hub of meeting and exhibition for which will generate new business opportunities in the GMS. The implementation will be conducted using 5 key strategies as follows: 1.Driving the holding of MICE events continually in the province, 2.Escalating the quality of service to meet international standards, 3.Establishing cooperation network within Thailand and the GMS, 4.Supporting and improving infrastructure and facilities and 5.Creating the competitive advantages for Khon Kaen to soar as the leader of MICE business in the GMS through brand building.

“The aforementioned operation is now running under Phase 1 (the year 2014-2015) which concentrates on the readiness of infrastructure, the development of entrepreneurs’ capability and local cooperation, as well as the encouragement of event holdings in order to approach the Phase 2 (the year 2016-2017) that will be projecting at the extension of framework in order to create confidence in Khon Kaen as the hub of MICE, as well as to support the holding of mega-events and strengthen international cooperation by which will enable Khon Kaen to soar as a strong and sustainable MICE City.”

Furthermore, TCEB has been operating under the domestic D-MICE market development strategy designed to promote MICE business in Khon Kaen. The 4 key aspects of development strategy include the ‘Meeting in Thailand’ campaign which expects to encourage D-MICE events in Khon Kaen and advance the potential of MICE City in the northeast that is capable of serving domestic meetings and exhibition events; the expansion of meetings and exhibitions in Special Economic Zones and the CLMV countries to enable Khon Kaen to soar as the hub of MICE in the northeast that connects seamlessly with neighbouring countries; the promotion of domestic meetings and incentives activities at Royal Initiate Projects and Royal Thai Military tourism destinations, especially the continual holding of conference at Royal Thai Military tourism destinations, such as the conference at Military Circle 23rd in Khon Kaen Province; and the promotion of domestic exhibitions continually through the invention of new domestic exhibitions, such as the holding of industrial fair in Khon Kaen Province in September 2015, the upgrading of domestic event to regional event, such as the 3rd I-SAN Book Fair in the coming August 2015 which is expected to draw more than 110,000 visitors, as well as the cloning of successful events to Khon Kaen, including the Food & Hotelex Expo, the I-SAN House & Condo fair, etc.

The number of MICE travellers visiting Khon Kaen Province in 2014 totalled at 280,440 which generated 730.28 million baht of revenue, while the number of MICE travellers in the Quarter 2 of fiscal year 2015 (October 2014-March 2015) reached 1,585,043 or was equal to 5,659 million baht of revenue. The increase of MICE travellers in the Quarter 2 comprised exhibition visitors for as much as 1,518,825, following by visitors of international conference of 54,966 andvisitors of organisation convention of 11,252.


Mr. Siwaroj Mungmaiphon, Vice Governor of Khon Kaen Province revealed that in the fiscal year 2015, Khon Kaen Province has allocated more than 12 million baht of budget to support the promotion of Khon Kaen MICE City project which is running under the operation for Khon Kaen’s MICE industry advancement in line with the pre-determined model scheme. Highlights of the project include the international convention centre and pre-historic tourist attractions; the production of guidebook, both in Thailand English, as public relations medium; domestic road show and the establishment of MICE network for knowledge exchange. Media Education Trip is being held to let Thai and international members of the press to experience Khon Kaen by themselves in order to promote the public image of Khon Kaen as an ideal MICE City. In addition, the Khon Kaen MICE City Centre was formed as an information centre of the province, side by side with the training of MICE personnel as a preparation for the AEC integration through the escalation of Khon Kaen’s MICE industry towards international standards.

Furthermore, operation for the implementation of strategic plan of Khon Kaen (year 2014-2017) has been conducted under the vision “Khon Kaen the Livable City. Center of Commercial Network, Investment and Service Business of the GMS” and comprises 3 key missions as follows: 1.Strengthen the community with unity and peaceful living, 2.Support Khon Kaen to grow as a livable city with sustainability and 3.Develop Khon Kaen as the GMS’scentre by which MICE industry can serve as a mechanism to make Khon Kaen soar as an ideal MICE City, the hub of conference and exhibition for the northeast that well serves visitors from domestic destinations, as well as from the Indochina and southern China.

Meanwhile, the Khon Kaen Municipality has designed development plans to implement the 3-year scheme (year 2014-2016) in accordance with key strategic plan mapped out by the province. These include the increase of economic competitiveness which comprises the betterment of transportation that suits the nature of city, the improvement of infrastructure and urban planning, the development of local economic and investment to serve infrastructure administration that plays a vital role in promoting economic and investment potential, the research of mass transit and the BRT system, as well as the establishment of new exhibition centre that meets international standards in Khon Kaen Province. In overall, 59 projects have been initiated under the budget of 78,964,000 baht for which will also include necessary improvement and development of mass transportation and traffic system, the addition of road surface, the specific subdivision of land and the creation of opportunities in the use of tourist attractions.

Moreover, a strategy to promote Khon Kaen as the Event City has been set forth by harmonising the province’s strengths with the “OK Khon Kaen” campaign that was conducted through the promotion of local traditions to create new economic zone. The campaign expects to build an awareness of Khon Kaen, as well as attract domestic and foreign MICE travellers for the whole year. For example, the Kaen International Film Festival, Amazing Flower Festival, Khon Kaen Countdown, Khon Kaen International Marathon, Northeast Agricultural Fair, International Silk Festival, and many more. All of which will encourage local economic activities, consumer spending and income distribution. With all strategic endeavours, the province expects that the revenue of 2,000 million baht will be generated each year in order to make Khon Kaen soar as a MICE City that is capable of serving international events with sustainability.


Khon Kaen is 1 among 5 MICE Cities of Thailand besides another 4 MICE Cities including Bangkok, Chiangmai, Phuket and Pattaya. TCEB has continued to support the promotion and development of these MICE Cities, especially through the holding of “2nd Thailand Domestic MICE Mart” which is a sales promotional event under the ‘Meeting in Thailand’ campaign designed to boost domestic MICE market in 2015 and is considered a part to assist in the implementation of overall target for domestic MICE industry or D-MICE in this year to grow both in terms of visitors and revenue whereby the growth is expected to increase by 5 percent from 15.23 million MICE travellers which will generate 33,069 million baht of revenue.

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Information of the “2nd Thailand Domestic MICE Mart” in KhonKaen

The ‘Meeting in Thailand’ campaign features the encouragement of meetings, conference and exhibition to be held domestically through the “2nd Thailand Domestic MICE Mart” which is asales promotional event determined to organise 5 times in 5 MICE Cities, including Bangkok, Chiangmai, Phuket, KhonKaen and Pattaya, during March-August 2015.

The event at KhonKaen is expected to draw approximately 100 buyers from public and private sector that will conduct business negotiations with 30 suppliers who are MICE entrepreneurs from the northeast by which will result in the distribution of income of 13,250,000 baht to regional MICE businesses.

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For further information, please contact:

Corporate Communications Division, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau

Ms Arisara Thanuplang    Tel: +662 694 6095    Email: arisara_t@tceb.or.th

Mr Pishnu Plaikaew Tel: +662 694 6000    Email: pishnu_p@tceb.or.th

Ms Kanokwan Kadeedang    Tel: + 662 694 6006    Email: kanokwan_k@tceb.or.th

Ms Kwanchanok Otton Tel: + 662 694 6096 Email: kwanchanok_o@tceb.or.th

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